1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to systems and methods for providing a hearing aid capable of communicating with a wireless phone. More particularly, this invention provides a hearing aid capable of simultaneously or alternatively performing the functions of an ear bud for the wireless phone.
2. Description of Related Art
Hearing aid users commonly experience interference from the high-frequency electromagnetic signal emitted by wireless phones when the phone is placed in close proximity to the receiver/microphone of the hearing aid. The interference—manifested as a “buzz” or “hum” in the hearing aid—makes the use of wireless phone handsets difficult for the hearing-impaired device users. For example, a hearing aid device wearer is not able to effectively use a wireless phone by placing the handset in close proximity to hear a caller through the earpiece of the handset. Thus, the user is forced to endure the discomfort of the “hum”, use an induction-type device (if wearing a t-coil type hearing aid), constantly adjust the hearing aid or not use a wireless phone at all.
Conventional attempts at solving this problem have had inherent problems that can make the use of those items undesirable. However, to this point, the hearing-impaired community hasn't had many choices. For example, personal loopsets were developed to apply the audio induction principle to t-coil type hearing aids. The coil of a loopset is worn around the user's neck. The coil is electromagnetically coupled to an emitter coil inside the hearing aid. The emitter coil receives a digital voice signal from the wireless phone, transmits the corresponding electromagnetic field to the coil, and ultimately to a hearing aid placed in proximity to the coil.
The current induction loopset designs have inherent problems associated with them: that make them cumbersome and difficult to use. The hearing-impaired user is almost forced to constantly wear the loopset to hear an incoming call to the wireless phone. However, if a user decides to keep the loopset in a pocket or a bag a user must fumble to put the loopset on if a call is received while the loopset is not being worn.
Co-pending, co-owned application Ser. No. 10/328,388 to Shively et al., has taken a different approach and addressed the interference issue by redirecting and relocating signal transmissions from the antenna of the handset away from the hearing aid. In the systems discussed in the Shively patent, a waveguide device is placed over the antenna. The waves transmitted from the antenna are captured by the waveguide and retransmitted at a remote antenna located on a user's belt loop, etc.
Ear bud devices have been developed to enhance the portability of a wireless phone. The ear bud device is a type of hands free device and is essentially a headphone-type device communicates with an attached wireless phone so that a user has use of their hands and attention for other tasks, such as driving, writing, etc. Current ear bud devices must be placed in or in close proximity to the ear, meaning that the ear bud placement conflicts with the placement of the hearing aid. Thus, hearing impaired users have a difficult time using ear buds.
Thus, the inventor has discerned that there is a need to address the above-mentioned problems by providing a hearing device that functions both as a hearing aid and as a wireless phone ear bud.